8 Reasons Ronald Acuna Jr. Should Still Win NL MVP Over Mookie Betts
We break down the stats from all angles and explain why we think Ronald Acuna Jr. is still the National League MVP over Mookie Betts.
By Seth Carter
NL MVP Race: Acuna vs. Betts - Batting Average
Ronald is hitting .338 vs. Betts' .318. Acuna has the edge but this is the geezer stat, right? As we'll see later, Acuna gets a hit a little more frequently but not enough to really give a voting edge to either guy. As with many of the stats, both players are excellent hitters. They aren't one-trick ponies, dogs, or any other trick-performing animals.
Advantage: Acuna, but we have a long way to go.
NL MVP Race: Acuna vs. Betts - On-Base Percentage
Mookie Betts has a phenomenal .409 OBP which is good for fourth-best in the MLB. However, Acuna has the trump card here as he leads all of baseball with a .420 OBP. As we covered in the last section, Acuna has the batting average advantage, as well. Acuna is walking in 11.4% of his plate appearances and Betts is walking in 13.1% of his PAs. Both are very good but the edge in batting average is getting Acuna on base more frequently than his opponent.
Advantage: Ronald Acuna Jr.
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